Writing and Publishing News

We’re talking traditional publishers today. And keep in mind that there are a lot of publishers, large and small, out there and many variations of the scenarios presented here today.

Typically, as I mentioned earlier this week, you will be asked to send a query letter first. Next, the publisher might want to see a book proposal with a strong emphasis on your platform and your marketing abilities and plans. If your project makes the cut, you will be invited to send the entire manuscript.

After a few minutes to several months, someone may contact you with news—either your manuscript has been rejected or accepted. Sometimes you never hear from the publisher again. I suggest that if you haven’t heard from a publisher who has requested your manuscript as many as a few weeks after their normal responding time, contact them. Remind him that he requested your manuscript and when you sent it. Look for individual publisher’s response times in their Submission Guidelines or their listing in Writer’s Market.

If your manuscript is accepted, you will receive a contract. Read it carefully. If there is anything you don’t understand, hire a publishing or intellectual properties attorney to look it over. If there is something in the contract that you don’t agree with, note it and initial it before sending the signed contract back to the publisher. He will either agree or not. The contact will, among other things, provide for a royalty of somewhere between five and twenty-five percent. There may or may not be an advance of anywhere from $500 to thousands of dollars. The higher figures are typically reserved for authors of some acclaim. Some publishers pay a one-time fee for a manuscript—purchasing it outright.

Once the contract is signed, you may be asked to do extensive or minor rewriting. Or you might wait for another year before you receive the edited version to check over. In the meantime, you will receive either the entire or a portion of any advance that was agreed upon.

Some of you will discover that your fantastic title has been changed. In some instances, you might get a say in this decision. Sometimes not. You may also be advised on the cover design. Your opinion may or may not be considered.

A book typically goes into production several months to a year or more after the contract is signed. And at that time, you may be asked to fill out an extensive questionnaire including a list of your media and professional contacts for promotional purposes.

Some publishers assign authors a publicist to work with for three months or so. Take advantage of him or her while you can. In the meantime, you should also be using every means you have to publicize your book. And this work will be ongoing for as long as you want the book to sell.

As you can see, landing a traditional publisher has its pros and cons (just like any publishing option does). While you have no outlay of funds and while you may lose some of your power in the decision-making area, it is imperative to a successful project that you remain highly involved in the entire process—in particular when it comes to marketing your book.

For a greater understanding of the publishing industry and how to more successfully navigate within it, read my book, “Publish Your Book” by Patricia Fry.

If you want to know more about book promotion, read “Promote Your Book” by Patricia Fry. The earlier you understand this process, the better!

Both are available at amazon.com as well as most other online and downtown bookstores. You can also order them here: http://www.matilijapress.com

I’ve met a lot of authors who have executed some unique approaches to the publishers they hoped to contract with. Most of them want to just jump in headfirst with everything they have in an attempt to hurry the process of having their project accepted. These authors send their complete manuscripts—sometimes without a return envelope and postage and including either no letter of introduction or a ten-page explanation of their project. I’ve had authors mail their only copy of their manuscripts to me without a return address. Yikes! Why would they mail a manuscript to me? Because I operate a publishing company. If they had done even minimal checking, however, they would have learned that I publish only my own books and don’t accept submissions.

Other authors write weak, pitiful query letters practically begging the publisher to publish their books.

There is so much competition for authors today that it doesn’t take much to score a rejection slip. This is no time to get sloppy or lazy. It is important that you give it your best shot and make all of the right moves when approaching a publisher. And don’t forget to present them with the best project ever.

How would I recommend approaching a publisher for the first time?

1: Attend writers’ conferences where you can schedule face-to-face meetings with appropriate publishers. But before you do that, study the publishing industry so you understand more about a publisher’s job, what he is looking for in a project and an author. Read “Publish Your Book.” Learn as much as you can about each publisher you will be approaching. Create an elevator speech that succinctly describes your project for opportunities like this.
If the publisher asks you for additional material, send exactly what he or she wants, in a timely manner with a clear letter of explanation.

2: If you plan to approach a publisher via email or snail mail, always, always seek out EACH publisher’s Submission Guidelines before approaching him or her. Different publishers want something different from their potential authors. While most want to see a strong query letter, some want the manuscript right out of the chute. And it had better be ready without a bunch of notes indicating what’s missing or handwritten notes in the margins explaining why this section isn’t edited, etc.

Some wish to receive electronic submissions and others do not.

Some publishers want to see a book proposal first and they will often give a list of items they want to see in that proposal. You’ll find this information in their Submission Guidelines.

Locate Submission Guidelines at the publishers’ websites. Do you sometimes have trouble finding Submission Guidelines? It is a mystery to me why some web designers make these so difficult for authors to locate. While some Submission Guidelines are front and center when you visit a publisher’s site, for example, others are imbedded in the most unusual and unsuspected places. Yesterday, while I was working on research for the SPAWN Market Update, I found Submission Guidelines in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) at the site. That’s a first—although, maybe that’s because I’d never looked there for them before. Have any of you found Submission Guidelines on a website’s FAQ page?

I’ve found them under “contact,” “about us,” “for writers,” and embedded in pull-down menus at the site which had absolutely nothing to do with this topic. And, in some instances, I can’t find them at all—usually that is because they don’t exist. In this case, email or call to request a copy of the guidelines.

Be creative in searching for guidelines. Sometimes they aren’t labeled as you would expect. You’ll find them listed under Editorial Guidelines, For Writers, Writer’s Guidelines, Author’s Guidelines, Write for Us, or just simply Writers.

So, the keys to successfully approaching a publisher are:

• Make sure you are approaching the right publisher for your project.
• Find out specifically what they want.
• Give him or her exactly what they require.
• Follow-up with only the additional information or material they request in a timely manner.

For a much clearer idea of how to navigate the publishing industry, be sure to read my book, “Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author.” This book was created from my own nearly forty years of experience and research in the industry as well as from the experiences and knowledge of dozens of other authors. It’s available at Amazon.com as well as most other online and down town bookstores. Or order it at http://www.matilijapress.com

For some, choosing a publishing option is a bewildering experience. That’s why I included a section called “How to Find the Very Best Publisher For Your Project” in my book, Publish Your Book. Sub-sections in this chapter include, “Five Common Authors’ Mistakes,” “Manage the Maze of Potential Publishers,” “What Can You Learn From a Publisher’s Website?” “Tips for Locating Publisher’s Submission Guidelines,” Your ABC List of Publishers,” “How to Meet a Publisher Face to Face,” and so forth.

There are hundreds and hundreds of traditional publishers and about 100 pay-to-publish companies. Which one is the right one for you? Just know that one-size does not fit all.

If you are seeking publication by a traditional publisher go to bookstores or spend time at Amazon.com and other online bookstores in search of books similar to yours—in the same genre, with the same audience—books that will be stocked in the same place your book will be stocked in bookstores, perhaps. Find out who published those books and consider approaching those publishers. Likewise, you can sometimes find an agent listed in the acknowledgements pages of books similar to yours. (More tomorrow about the sometimes tricky process of locating and studying publishers’ submission guidelines.)

Find publishers by studying directories such as Writer’s Market (from Writer’s Digest) and Literary Marketplace (in the reference section at your local library). There are other directories. Do an online search. You might find lists of publishers for specific genres, for example.

As for pay-to-publish companies, read Mark Levine’s book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing and/or Dehanna Bailee’s ABC’s of POD. The thing is, when you see them listed, the pay-to-publish companies may appear to be similar, but some of them are way out in left or right field as far as the contract they offer, the fees they charge and so forth.

The best potential I can offer you for publishing success is to take time to truly understand the publishing industry and to choose your publishing option and your specific publishing contract carefully. Remember, you are the CEO of your book. Take this position seriously.

Order Publish Your Book by Patricia Fry at Amazon.com and other online and downtown bookstores. Also available here: http://www.matilijapress.com

Are you aware of your publishing options? Many new authors venturing out into the wild blue yonder of publishing do not. When they finally finish writing their amazing novel, fabulous memoir or incredible nonfiction book, they emerge from their writing room and announce to those within hearing range, “I’ve just finished my book. Now I need a publisher.”

You’ll typically ask your friends if they know any publishers. You neighbor who wrote a kinky novel nearly twenty years ago might give out his publisher’s name in case he is now producing granny memoirs. Yeah right! As a newbie author, you might attend writers’ group meetings and learn the names of additional publishers. And you will surely hop onto the information highway at your fingertips and research publishers. This is all well and good IF you will take it easy and slow and use your noggin.

Many new authors every year are courted and knocked off their feet by aggressive, smooth-talking representatives of pay-to-publish (self-publishing) companies. And far too many authors fall for their sales pitch without doing any further research. They are so eager to publish the book they’ve poured their heart and soul into these last many months, that they jump eagerly at the first publisher to respond, even if it means they have to pay dearly for the privilege, even if they don’t quite understand the contract, even if they have some reservations and their peers have issued warnings.

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with signing with a pay-to-publish company. What I’m hoping to instill in you is the importance of further research. Before signing with any pay-to-publish company read Mark Levine’s book, “The Fine Print of Self-publishing.” (You can get the ebook FREE when joining SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). See link below. Levine ranks and rates several of these companies and explains their contracts. He separates the bad guys from the good guys and believe me, there are both in this industry. Some may not be bad, but they may be offering you options and services that you don’t need, for example or that you can get at more reasonable prices elsewhere.

Here are your Publishing Options:
Traditional Publisher. These publishers are always on the lookout for excellent manuscripts that will make them some money. They are seeking good books and enterprising authors to invest in. There are hundreds of large and small publishers looking for good projects. So don’t kid yourself. You may hear that publishers aren’t publishing anything anymore. Don’t believe it. They are publishing viable products that are expertly edited and have a large or strong niche audience.

Pay-to-publish company. They will accept just about any project and charge you to produce it for you. This is a great program for those authors who need a book in a hurry and who have a basic understanding of the publishing industry. It is also imperative that an author compare these companies and choose the one that is right for them. What do you pay for such services? Anywhere from $99 to thousands and thousands of dollars. Please take your time and know what you’re doing before signing a contract with any pay-to-publish company. Keep in mind that acceptance by a pay-to-publish company is generally not any sort of recommendation for your book.

Self-publishing means that you establish your own publishing company. You get your ISBN, you hire a printer, you are in charge.

Something else you should know is that no matter which publishing option you choose, it is up to you—the author—to promote your book. This is true even if you land a traditional publisher, even if you purchase a promotional plan from your pay-to-publish company (which I do not recommend). Authors today must consider themselves the CEO of their books. You are in charge. You put a lot of tears and sweat into your book. Don’t just throw it away by going with the first company that pops up during your Internet search. Study the industry. Study your various options.

My book, Publish Your Book has a section that helps you to decide for yourself which option is best for you and for your project. Order it today from amazon.com or any other online or downtown bookstore. It’s “Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author” by Patricia Fry (Allworth Press, 2011). http://www.matilijapress.com

To join SPAWN, go here: http://www.spawn.org

Tomorrow—how to choose and locate the right publishing option and the right publisher.

Preparation
Once you establish that your book is a viable product, begin outlining, organizing and writing it.

Keep your audience in mind the entire time that you are working on your project. Are you giving them what they want? Is it easy to follow and use? Is the material interesting? Will the story hold their interest? Have you smoothed out all of the areas that might cause the reader confusion? While you are writing your book, start putting away money toward a good book editor. And once you have written your book, hire that editor to put the finishing touches on it. This could make all of the difference in the world. Just ask some of my clients.

Platform
Your platform is your following, your reach, your connections. How many people would read your book just because you wrote it?

Work on your platform while you’re writing the book:
• Create a massive mailing and emailing list.
• Become known among leaders and followers in your book’s genre/topic.
• Write and submit articles or stories to appropriate publications.
• Develop workshops and seminars on your book’s topic and present them.
• Publish your own newsletter.
• Establish a blog and promote it heavily.

This will be a busy and enjoyable period in the process of becoming a published author. You will sometimes think that these eight to thirty-eight (or so) months during which you are writing the book are the hardest you’ve ever experienced. But I want you to hold this thought: You ain’t seen nothing yet! Most authors say that they thought the writing process was hard until they got involved in promoting their books.

It is for this reason that I recommend working on your platform while you are in writing mode. You’ll be more well-prepared for what is to come.

Proofing/Editing
Once you’ve completed your manuscript, you’ll become involved in self-editing. Proof and edit as thoroughly as you possibly can.
• Check for inconsistencies and repeated material.
• Make sure your spacing and punctuation is correct.
• Examine your manuscript for muddy writing and run-on sentences.
• Eliminate those sneaky mistakes that aren’t picked up by spellcheck.
• Correct any misuse of apostrophes or words.

Once you have done your self-editing, hire an experienced book editor for your final edit. Yes, this is necessary and the expense must be factored in. Hiring a good editor is an investment in your publishing success. But I must repeat—this should be an experienced book editor.

Plan to pay an editor from $800 to $3,000 (or more). This depends on the size and scope of your manuscript as well as the condition of it. I offer these services.
http://www.patriciafry.com

Tomorrow we’ll discuss the last two P’s—Publishing and Promotion.

Another way to study the publishing industry—to get up to speed with the field you are entering when you publish a book—I suggest getting out and mingling with other authors. You will hear success stories and horror stories. You will meet authors with many varied experiences. Some experiences you will want to copy and others you will avoid.

So where do you go to meet other authors? Start online. Yes, just remain seated in your office chair and turn on your computer. There are numerous online discussion groups and bulletin boards where authors communicate with one another. SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) is an online networking organization for anyone interested in or involved in publishing. I am the executive director. Among other things, we have an online discussion group where you can meet other authors, ask questions, share your experiences, etc. Learn more here:
http://www.spawn.org

SPAN (Small Publishers Association of North America) and IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) are also solid organizations to join. Then there are children’s book writers organizations, mystery writers groups and so forth. Use Google to find those that resonate with you.

There are many writers groups that meet face-to-face, as well. Most of them invite speakers to talk about aspects of writing and publishing as well as book promotion. Find groups in your area through your local libraries and/or bookstores. Check the calendar section of your newspaper. Do an Internet search.

Attend writers’ conferences. Most are gearing more toward the publishing aspects of writing these days. But you’ll need to study their promo before signing up so you know you are getting the opportunities you seek. Here are a few directories of writer’s conferences.

http://www.writing.shawguides.com
http://www.allconferences.com
http://www.newpages.com/writing-conferences

The other part to this message is participation. Locate appropriate groups and other learning opportunities. Study what they offer to make sure they are right for you. Attend and participate.

For more on this topic, read, “Publish Your Book” and “Talk Up Your Book” by Patricia Fry. Both available at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores. Or order them from the author’s website: http://www.matilijapress.com

I started my online book proposal course this week. It is not too late to catch up. Learn more and sign up here: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_bookproposal.htm It’s an excellent way to get one-on-one attention by a publishing professional.